Fun for Kids – Krista + Rosie, Realtorshttp://kristashouse.com
Hi friends! We are Krista + Rosie, the brains behind the Krista + Rosie Team. Powered by Abio Properties we are a top producing real estate team working {and having fun} in Berkeley, Oakland and the surrounding areas. From buying + selling to DIY + home decor to plumber + gardener recommendations we are your one-stop-shop for all things real estate.Mon, 02 Apr 2018 18:19:45 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.931195323A Historical Tour of San Pablo Park, Berkeleyhttp://kristashouse.com/blog/2017/03/25/historical-tour-san-pablo-park-berkeley/
http://kristashouse.com/blog/2017/03/25/historical-tour-san-pablo-park-berkeley/#respondSat, 25 Mar 2017 17:44:35 +0000http://kristashouse.com/?p=3438Berkeley has some amazing parks. I recently learned that San Pablo Park is the oldest park in Berkeley. I have sold a bunch of homes near the park, but it wasn’t until I was speaking to the Seller of an upcoming listing that I learned about the backstory of the park including its deep history within […]

Berkeley has some amazing parks. I recently learned that San Pablo Park is the oldest park in Berkeley. I have sold a bunch of homes near the park, but it wasn’t until I was speaking to the Seller of an upcoming listing that I learned about the backstory of the park including its deep history within the community.

Today the park is a thriving + active community of children playing in the tot lot; baseball enthusiasts continuing to hit home runs; the spring of tennis balls on the courts; balloons flying overhead during birthday parties; and kids + adults chasing after the ice cream truck during the Spring and Summer months. The park has come a long way!

Next time you are in Berkeley be sure to stop by this amazing park. And take a little time to reflect on its rich history.

]]>http://kristashouse.com/blog/2017/03/25/historical-tour-san-pablo-park-berkeley/feed/03438Three Reasons to Visit Lake Merritthttp://kristashouse.com/blog/2017/03/02/three-reasons-to-visit-lake-merritt/
http://kristashouse.com/blog/2017/03/02/three-reasons-to-visit-lake-merritt/#respondFri, 03 Mar 2017 05:35:08 +0000http://kristashouse.com/?p=3416Posted by the cool peeps at Berkeley Hills Realty So you’re thinking to yourself, “What should I do today where I can get great exercise and do some people watching while I am at it?” Or you think to yourself, “My kids need to get out today and I want to go somewhere that is […]

So you’re thinking to yourself, “What should I do today where I can get great exercise and do some people watching while I am at it?” Or you think to yourself, “My kids need to get out today and I want to go somewhere that is fun for them and not too draining on me.” Or you may think, “I want to take some beautiful photos and my teen wants to get some great Instagram shots. Where should I go?”

The answer to all of them is..Lake Merritt in Oakland!

Running/Walking/Strolling

Lake Merritt is exactly a 5k all the way around, 3.2 miles and a 45 minute walk. If you are jogging at a normal pace, you can do it in 30 minutes, which is a perfect work out. Best part? You get to see natural beauty, as well as other people enjoying their time along the way. If you park at 7th and Oak street, parking is free and you can add a few blocks of warm up time to your routine. You can also park at 22nd Street near Kaiser Plaza for $12, which puts you two blocks from the lake and running path and you can run to the lake and check out the Cathedral Christ of the Light church for its beautiful architecture.

Children’s Fairyland

Fairyland Entrance

If you are a parent of a child under the age of 10, you may have heard of Children’s FairyLand. This is Oakland’s answer to where you can take your kids and have fun in a “throwback” park that caters to young children. Arguably the centerpiece of Fairyland is the children’s theater on the southern end and the 61-year-old puppet theater to the north – which still uses marionettes that were costumed by Frank Oz‘s mother, and hosts the oldest continuously run puppet show in the nation.

Insta-Good Photos

Insta-goodness of Krista’s daughter

So your teenager won’t go out with you in public, but if you tell them there is a great place for them to take selfies, Tumblr photos, and “Instagood” photos, they just may go with you to Lake Merritt. And if YOU enjoy taking photos of local wildlife, including a myriad of birds, as well as reflection photos, this will be a great day for you both. Check out Instagram using the hashtag #LakeMerrittOakland for ideas for photos or take your camera and let life unfold in front of you for photos that capture life. For you garden/flower/landscape nuts, there are no less than five different gardens at Lake Merritt. Check out the Bonsai Garden, the Rhododendron Garden, Torii Gate Garden, Vireya Garden, and the Sensory Garden for fantastic photo opportunities.

The Future

Slated for construction is the Lake Merritt to Bay Trail (LM2BT) Connection which will close a key gap between the San Francisco Bay Trail and Lake Merritt trail systems. It will provide a safe ADA-accessible Class I multi-use pathway that connects BART, AC Transit, and Chinatown to the Oakland Estuary, Amtrak Capitol Corridor, Jack London Square, and the Brooklyn Basin Development for commuters and recreational users. This will be another place to run, discover with your children and photograph!

Learn more about Lake Merritt’s history and an interesting story about its “Necklace of Lights” featuring 126 lamp posts first lit in 1925.
Krista and Rosie love this community and would love to share more about it with you if you are considering a move. Contact us at (510) 612-5546 or (510) 610-0702 for your home buying or selling desires!

]]>http://kristashouse.com/blog/2017/03/02/three-reasons-to-visit-lake-merritt/feed/03416How I Brought NYC Homehttp://kristashouse.com/blog/2017/01/30/how-to-bring-a-little-nyc-to-your-own-home/
http://kristashouse.com/blog/2017/01/30/how-to-bring-a-little-nyc-to-your-own-home/#respondTue, 31 Jan 2017 04:05:15 +0000http://kristashouse.com/?p=3388So I just came back from NYC where I was attending the Inman Connect, a real estate conference where Realtors from all over the country meet for 5 days to talk technology, how to build a better business, and of course, real estate. I love going to the event because I make some amazing connections […]

So I just came back from NYC where I was attending the Inman Connect, a real estate conference where Realtors from all over the country meet for 5 days to talk technology, how to build a better business, and of course, real estate. I love going to the event because I make some amazing connections and learn a lot of great tools, all while being surrounded by the greatness of NYC. (During the summer the event is in SF, but since I live in SF that conference doesn’t seem as glamorous.)

You all know I love food, so of course I was constantly scouting out the best eats in food, coffee and dessert. During a much needed coffee break I took a stroll up 8th Avenue, on my way to Bibble and Sip, where I was going to try out their infamous lavender latte. I thought that if this latte really was the hit I hear it is, I could learn to make it and offer up guests at my house, something fun and different, and easy to make!

While strolling up 8th Avenue I passed a restaurant called Thalia. I didn’t eat there, but outside they had the coolest light display. They had strung lights, the kind you see everywhere, but strung them 4-in-a-row along the outside of the restaurant. And that got me thinking…what a cool idea for someone to do with those old clotheslines you often see in the backyards of many of our homes!

Coolest clothesline!

While meandering through Greenwich Village on our day off we happened upon a deliciously sexy olive oil shop called O&Co. They had the most amazing chandelier made out of little bottles of olive oil…so cool! And I thought: what a fun way to display a collection of shot glasses or tea cups.

Try the garlic olive oil!

One of my FAVORITE places in Times Square is, well, central Times Square! It isn’t just the energy, but the red tables. Oh how I LOVE the red tables! If you are looking for a fun way to add some color and energy to your own backyard consider getting a brightly colored table and chairs, like the Fermob ones found at The Wooden Duck in Berkeley.

Fermob! Fermob!

Having a party with kids? Do as Momofuko does and make a cookie with cereal!! Some of the most creative cookies come out of this bakery, and I have tried them all!

cereal cookie!

Lastly, the best way to bring a little NYC into your home? Think outside of the box with color! Add a little color to spice up a room – ever thought of putting purple, charcoal and orange together? Check out these painted brownstones I spotted near Washington Square Park! Or mix and match the chairs around your dining room table to mimic the seats on the NYC Subway.

Hubba hubba color!

Clean and bold subway

Ah NYC, how I love thee! Some leave their heart in SF, but I left mine in NYC.

]]>http://kristashouse.com/blog/2017/01/30/how-to-bring-a-little-nyc-to-your-own-home/feed/03388Calendar of Local January Events in the East Bayhttp://kristashouse.com/blog/2017/01/07/calendar-of-local-january-events-in-the-east-bay/
http://kristashouse.com/blog/2017/01/07/calendar-of-local-january-events-in-the-east-bay/#respondSat, 07 Jan 2017 18:52:16 +0000http://kristashouse.com/?p=3366Here is a calendar of fun, local events in January throughout the East Bay. The marketing team in my office does a great job of putting this together each month so make sure to check back next month for more events! January Calendar of Events

Here is a calendar of fun, local events in January throughout the East Bay. The marketing team in my office does a great job of putting this together each month so make sure to check back next month for more events!

Directions: 4 hours prior to serving place eyeballs in an ice cube tray, fill with water, and freeze. After the ice cubes have frozen, combine all ingredients. For an adult version add citrus-infused vodka and serve on the rocks.

We made this at our Halloween party and everyone devoured this spooky-licious concoction.

]]>http://kristashouse.com/blog/2016/10/31/monster-party-drink-for-halloween/feed/03361Albany Local Weekhttp://kristashouse.com/blog/2016/09/26/albany-local-week/
http://kristashouse.com/blog/2016/09/26/albany-local-week/#respondTue, 27 Sep 2016 04:41:06 +0000http://kristashouse.com/?p=3319Last week was Albany Local Week, a week designed to challenge local residents to eat, see, hear and play within Albany’s 1 square mile. The community was encouraged to watch a movie, run a 10k, attend an outdoor concert, and dine out with other neighbors. Local businesses really stepped up to the plate: Little Star […]

Last week was Albany Local Week, a week designed to challenge local residents to eat, see, hear and play within Albany’s 1 square mile. The community was encouraged to watch a movie, run a 10k, attend an outdoor concert, and dine out with other neighbors. Local businesses really stepped up to the plate:

Hopsy Beer happily delivered beer to patrons at Music in the Park, an outdoor concert at Memorial Park. My family and I love this event, and LOVED having Hopsy deliver some great beer and cider to us at the park.

The pièce de résistance was Dinner With Albany, a sit-down dinner with 450 tables, hosted by the City of Albany. This event happens every two years and is one of the coolest things around. Grab some friends, share some food, dress up your table, and dance the night away. This event was so much fun, it makes me love my town that much more.

Oh, and DJ Lamont – thank you for helping all of us get our groove on.

]]>http://kristashouse.com/blog/2016/09/26/albany-local-week/feed/03319Spotted at the Marin Fountain in Berkeleyhttp://kristashouse.com/blog/2015/10/26/spotted-at-the-marin-fountain-in-berkeley/
http://kristashouse.com/blog/2015/10/26/spotted-at-the-marin-fountain-in-berkeley/#respondMon, 26 Oct 2015 18:41:32 +0000http://kristashouse.com/?p=3119Snow in Berkeley in October? Looks like someone was playing a prank!

]]>http://kristashouse.com/blog/2015/09/17/tall-tales-local-ales/feed/03078Chickens At Solano Strollhttp://kristashouse.com/blog/2015/09/15/chickens-at-solano-stroll/
http://kristashouse.com/blog/2015/09/15/chickens-at-solano-stroll/#respondTue, 15 Sep 2015 21:51:22 +0000http://kristashouse.com/?p=3084Spotted @ Solano Stroll were chickens. And lots of them. In the window display at Bikes on Solano. And what were they doing there? Eating lox. And playing with R2D2. I kid you not. I took these photos to prove it.

]]>http://kristashouse.com/blog/2015/09/15/chickens-at-solano-stroll/feed/03084Little Houses For Salehttp://kristashouse.com/blog/2015/09/07/little-houses-for-sale/
http://kristashouse.com/blog/2015/09/07/little-houses-for-sale/#respondMon, 07 Sep 2015 21:59:59 +0000http://kristashouse.com/?p=3094My daughter Melia is an amazing architect. She can build the most amazing structures out of anything. Any lego, found object, scrap of material, twig or empty cardboard box and she will create an amazing detailed space. Here are two recent examples that she will add to her portfolio, the first was for her Shopkins […]

]]>My daughter Melia is an amazing architect. She can build the most amazing structures out of anything. Any lego, found object, scrap of material, twig or empty cardboard box and she will create an amazing detailed space. Here are two recent examples that she will add to her portfolio, the first was for her Shopkins and the second for her Lego Friends.